Mail-box bracket and signal



H. E- TREKELL. MAIL BOX BRACKET AND SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED Ape.22. 1921.

' 1,430,47 PatentedSept'. 26,1922.

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' BY 6W WITNESS: I ATTORNEY H. E- TREKELL.

MA IL BOX BRACKET AND SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AQG.Z2, 192l- 1,430,4'76 Patented Sept. 26, 1922.

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1 Z4 ii il J wmw H. E. TREKELL. I MAIL BOX BRACKET AND SIGNAL.

APPLICATION HLED AUG-22. I921.

ATTQRN EV WITNESS:

Patented Sept. 26, 1922.,

UNKTEE STATESd nane rarsiar HARRY E. TBEKELL, WELLINGTON, KANSAS MAIL-BOX BRACKET AND SIGNAL.

Application filed August 22, 1921. Serial No. 4%,222.

device of a mail box whereby the box may ordinarily be disposed at a comparatively high elevation at a location removed from the side of a road, the box being however capable of being swung downwardly and toward the road when the mail carrier desires to place mail within the box or remove matter to be mailed. It is well known that in the use of the ordinary mail box such as is used on rural delivery route the box sets comparatively low and is often in jured by stock passing along the road, and that the box is also so close to the road that it is frequently injured by passing traiiic.

In case the box is located sufficiently far from the road as not to be injured by stock or passing vehicles it is apparent that the mail carrier must usually drive his vehicle into the ditch at the side of the road in order to gain access to the box without getting out of the vehicle. It is with these various objections in view that the present invention has been designed.

An important and more specific object is the provision of a bracket structure adapted to be mounted upon a post or other support and carrying a mail box of ordinary construction, this bracket member being so constructed that it may be moved to dispose the mail in an elevated position at a point quite far above the side of a road or be moved so as to bring the mail box in a lowered p0sition projecting over the side of the road within convenient reach of the mail carrier.

Still another object is the provision ofa bracket structure of this character which includes a plurality of springs which operate to hold the mail box in either selecteo position so thatvaccidental displacement will be prevented' A' further object is the provision of a novel signalling device associated with the mail box, this signalling device carrying a letter holding pocket which will maintain a letter or letters to be mailed at an angle approximately 45 whereby the letters or other matter to be mailed will be readily seen by the mail carrier and may be grasped by'him easily without necessitating his removing his gloves in case of cold weather.

-An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to install, highly efiicient in use, durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

With the ab oye and other objects and i vantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which, p l

Figure 1 is a side'elevation of my mail box in elevatedposition, I v Figure 2 is a similar view showing the box swung downwardly andforwardly to project over av road, y v

Figure 3 is a bottomplan view of the box and bracket a Figure 4 is a front elevation thereof, Figure 5 is a'longitudinalsectional-view, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view,

' Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview' of the flag mechanism. a v

Referring more particularly to the drawings the letter designates a suitable post upon which my mailbox structure to be described is mounted and B designates a mail box of the ordinary conventional type such as is in common use.

The box B, forms no part of my invention especially as it consists I of abottom (l, a rear end wall D, a front end wall E provided with the'usual slot F., and a combined top and side walls (3'. Associated'with thefront wall E. which incidentally is, hinged as shown at H.', is a catch member I associated with a spring keeper J. onthe box. It should be stated that the bottom C. of the boxis spacedjupwardlyc above the lower edges of the front and rear walls andlower edges of the, side walls and that the edges of the sidewalls which project below the-bottom are reinforced with longitudinal metallic strips K which are of angle-iron. I

In carrying out my inventionl provide a rigid bracket which includes a pa r of L shaped securing members 10 connected by a cross-bar 11 which extends across the horizontal portions oi the members 10 and also connected by a pair of cross-bars 12 which extend across the vertical portions of the members 10. Passing through the vertically spaced cross-bars 12 are bolts 13 which p: S through the pos A whereby to secure this rigid bracket in a firm manner.

livotally connected with the ends of the horizontal portions of the lm-shaped memhere 10, as shown at i l are bars 15 which are pivotally connected, as shown at 16 with the rear end of the box B. Pivotally con-- nected with the lower extremities of the vertical portions of the L-shaped members 10, as shown at 17, are bars which are pivotally connected with the longitudinally rein orcing strips K as shown at 19. The bars 19 are connected near the bottom of the box B with a transverse rod 20 upon which are engaged clips 2]; with which are connected the ends of coil springs 22 located beneath the bottom of the box and having their other ends connected with the pintle which pivotally mounts the jaw or front of the box.

In the use of the mail box it will be seen that ordinarily the parts are arranged shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, that is the bars 15 and 1.8 extend vertically with the mail box proper located immediately above the top ot the post A. It will be observed that the spring 22 serve to hold the parts in this position so that accidental displacement from any cause will. be prevented. When the mail carrier comes along and de sires to place mail within the box or desires to remove mail therefrom, it is intended that the carrier grasp the box and swing it downwardly toward himself whereupon the bars 15 and 18 will swing into horizontal posit-ion as shown in Figure 2, the pivot 14-, 16, 17 and 19 permitting this action and the springs 22 as shifting the movement after the box has been moved a slight degree. The box will then swing downwardly and toward the carrier so as to project a certain extent over the roadway and this position will of course facilitate the placing or" mail within or the removal ot'mail from the box. ll hen the mail carrier has finished taking mail from the box or placing mail within the box, it is intended that he give a slight upward shove or push to the box whereupon the bars 15 and 18 will be moved into vertical position again as shown in Figure 1. it will of course be apparent that the spring 22 will assist in returning the box to the initial position just as soon as the box has been moved beyond said center.

In carrying out the second feature of my invention, that is the provision of the com bined signal and mail holding device, Iprovide a signal which comprises a horizontal rod 23 which is journaled through the side of the box and which has one end turned to define an arm 2% carrying a signal flag 25 or ordinary construction. Secured upon the and which is so arranged that it will be disposed at an angle of substantially 5 to the bottom of the box when the arm 2 l and flag 25 are in signalling position. This pocket 26 is designed to receive letters or other mail matte to be collected by the carrier and it will be apparent that mail disposed within this poclzet will be so clearly visible to the carrier that it will be impossible for him to overlook the same and owing to the fact that the pocket 26 is: disposed'at an angle of substantially 45 to the bottom of the box it will be apparent that the carrier may readily remove said mail matter without it being necessary for him to remove his gloves in case that the weather is cold.

From the toregoing description and the study ot the drawings it will be apparent that l have thus provided a simply constructed and consequently inexpensive movable mounting for a mail box which is so constructed that the box may be moved from an elevated position spaced from the side ot the road-way into a lowered position projecting over the road-way whereby access be readily h ad to the box by the carrier without necessitating the carrier driving his vehicle the ditch at the side of the road-way. it will also be apparent that owing to the provision of the springs at the ot the box movement or" the box from sition to the other will be facilitated .uch the springs will operate to comple-e the movement jest the box has been moved a certain. predetermined degree. It is also to be observed that the box when elevated will. be entirely out of the way otstock passing along the road or out of the way of vehicles, it being well lmown that these causes it'req'uently cause damage or injury to mail boxes of this type. The provision of the pocket member 26 which carries the mail to be collected by the carrier is believed to be an important feature for-the reason that it provides means whereby the carrier may readily see the mail to be gathered by him and also provides means whereby he may collect such mail in a very simple and elliirient manner espi-tci'ally at the angle at which the mail matter is held is such that the carrier may grasp the letters or the like and remove them from the pocket without removing his gloves in case he wears any. Another great advantage is that the box being elevated, is readily accessible to a patron or a carrier on horse-back.

Nhile l have shown and. described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is of course to be understood that l reserve,

the right to make such changes in the form,

construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the inven-v tion or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In combination with a mail box and a supporting post, a bracket for supporting the box comprising a rigid bracket member secured upon the post, a plurality of bars pivotally connected with said rigid bracket and pivotally connected with a mail box, and springs connected with certain of said arms and with the box whereby to hold the parts in either selected position.

2. In combination with a mail box and a supporting post therefor, a bracket mounting for the mail box comprising a rigid bracket secured upon the upper end of the post, a plurality of spaced bars pivotally connected with said bracket and pivotally connected with the mail box, a transverse rod connecting certain of said bars, and a pair of springs connected with the forward end of the box and connected with said transverse rod whereby to hold the parts in selected position and whereby to continue movement of the box when movement of the same has been started.

3. In combination with a mail box and with a supporting post therefor, a rigid bracket structure secured upon the post and comprising a pair of L-shaped members connected by cross-bars, a plurality of bars arranged in spaced relation and pivotally connected with the horizontal and vertical portions of said L-shaped brackets members, said bars being pivotally connected with the box at spaced points, a transverse rod connecting certain of said bars, and a pair of coil springs located beneath the bottom of the box and connected therewith at the forward end thereof and connected with said transverse rod.

4:. In combination with a mail box and with a supporting post therefor, a rigid bracket structure secured upon the post and at the forward end thereof and connected with said transverse rod, the box being capable of being swung upwardly to be disposed above the top of the post or to be swung downwardly and toward a roadway with the bars arranged in horizontal position.

5. In mail box, a signal comprising a rod journaled transversely through a mail box and having one end extended laterally whereby to constitute a signal arm, said arm carrying a signal flag, and a pocket member secured upon the rod within the box and adapted to hold mail to be collected.

6. In a mail box, a signal comprising a rod journaled transversely through a mail box and having one end extended laterally whereby to constitute a signal arm, said arm carrying a signal flag, and a pocket member secured upon the rod within the box and adapted to hold mailto be collected, said pocket member being arranged at an angle of substantially 45 to the bottom of the box when said signal arm is in upright or signalling position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY E. IREKELL. 

